Plate, cup and cutlery system

ABSTRACT

A plate is provided having top and bottom sides. The top side includes a perimeter ledge, which has a section configured to receive a portion of a piece of cutlery disposed thereupon, thereby securing it to the plate. Also provided is a plate having top and bottom sides with the bottom side having a slotted section thereupon configured to receive a portion of a beverage container thereby securing the beverage container to the plate. An eating utensil is also provided and includes handle and a food-contacting portion attached thereto. The handle has a flat end portion opposite the food-contacting portion, and a support member disposed on an underside of the handle.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to plates. More specifically but not exclusively, the invention relates to a plate for holding both food and beverage at social gatherings.

BACKGROUND

Often, at social receptions, appetizers and more substantial food are served along with drinks. At many receptions, people stand as they socialize with stemware in one hand and the plate in the other hand. To eat the appetizers on the plate, most people have to find a table or counter to place the stemware down to free one hand. Needless interruptions in the flow of social conversations occur while the person leaves the conversation to look for a counter or table. More adventurous or coordinated people will attempt to hold both the plate and stemware in one hand in order to free the other hand for eating. As a result, needless and embarrassing spills of wine and food occur.

At sporting events, food and drink are often sold at different stands. Cutlery is often provided at another location away from the stand. This requires first acquiring food before getting a drink, or vice-versa, leaving no free hands and requiring a place to set the food or drink when getting cutlery.

At other events, such as banquets or buffets, people acquire their food while standing, typically with a beverage container in one hand and the plate in the other. This does not leave a hand free to put the food on the plate. Many people also place cutlery in their shirt or jacket pocket since plate space is at a premium. The person must either frequently put down and pick up the beverage container or precariously balance the beverage container every time he or she serves himself or herself food, or make separate trips for the food and drink and cutlery. Additionally, some events have a lack of seating for all the persons attending. Again, placement of the beverage container will become an issue when the person attempts to eat while standing.

Thus, there is a need in the art for a plate system for holding food and beverage.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure is directed to a plate having top and bottom sides. The top side includes a perimeter ledge, which has a section configured to receive a portion of a piece of cutlery disposed thereupon, thereby securing it to the plate.

According to another aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a plate having top and bottom sides. The bottom side includes a slotted section thereupon configured to receive a portion of a beverage container thereby securing the beverage container to the plate.

The present disclosure is further directed to an eating utensil including a handle and a food-contacting portion attached thereto. The handle has a flat end portion opposite the food-contacting portion, and a support member disposed on an underside of the handle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the present invention will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there are shown in the drawings embodiments, which are presently preferred. It is understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows a plate, cup and cutlery of the present disclosure in use being carried by a user;

FIG. 2 is a elevation of a fork according to the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the fork of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a elevation of a knife according to the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of the knife of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an elevation of a spoon putting to the present disclosure;

FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view of the spoon of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a bottom perspective view of a cup according to the present disclosure;

FIG. 9 is a top perspective view of the cup of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a top isometric view of the plate according to the present disclosure;

FIG. 11 is a bottom isometric view of the plate of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a side isometric view of the plate of FIG. 10;

FIG. 13 is an elevation of the plate cup and cutlery shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 14 is a detail of a plate and knife engaged with one another; and

FIG. 15 is a cross section view taken along line 15-15 in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Certain terminology is used in the following description for convenience only and is not limiting. The words “right,” “left,” “top,” and “bottom” designate directions in the drawings to which reference is made. The term “beverage container” used herein can mean any type of drinking vessel, including, but not limited to: a cup, a glass, a mug, stemware, a stein, a can, a bottle, etc. The term “plate”, used herein can mean any type of dinnerware, including but not limited to: a plate, a bowl, a dish, a saucer, a charger, etc. The term “cutlery”, used herein can mean any type of flatware or eating utensil, including but not limited to: a knife; a fork; a spoon; a spork; a spife; a knork; a sporf, chopsticks, etc. The words “a” and “one,” as used in the claims and in the corresponding portions of the specification, are defined as including one or more of the referenced item unless specifically stated otherwise. This terminology includes the words above specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof, and words of similar import. The phrase “at least one” followed by a list of two or more items, such as “A, B, or C,” means any individual one of A, B or C as well as any combination thereof.

Technical features described in this application can be used to construct various embodiments of plates for holding food as well as necessary cutlery and/or a beverage container, where the plate may be held in one hand.

In one approach, the plate has a large food surface area, and can hold a beverage container and cutlery while remaining stable regardless if being carried or placed on a flat surface.

As shown in FIG. 1, a plate 10 has top and bottom sides. A cup 120 is secured to the bottom side of the plate 10. The top side of the plate 10 includes a perimeter ledge 20 equipped with a handle receiving portion 30 and a holder 40 configured to receive a support member 80 (FIGS. 2, 4, 6) of a piece of cutlery 70, 100, 110. The handle receiving portion 30 is sized and shaped to receive and secure a generally flat handle portion 73, 103, 113 of the utensil 70, 100, 110, which prevents the cutlery 70, 100, 110 from moving laterally.

FIGS. 2 and 3 depict a fork 70 of the present disclosure. The fork includes tines 71 and a handle 72. The handle 72 having an end portion 73 that is flat and generally parallel to a surface S upon which it rests. The fork 70 also includes a support member 80, which is configured to be received in the holder 40 of the plate 10. The support member 80 also serves to elevate the tines 71 by a height h above a surface S when the fork 70 is set down, thereby preventing the fork tines 71 from becoming contaminated and conversely preventing the surface S from becoming soiled by contact with the used fork tines 71.

FIGS. 4 and 5 depict a knife 100, having a cutting end 101 and a handle 102. As in the fork 70 of FIGS. 2 and 3, the handle 102 has an end portion 103 that is flat and generally parallel to a surface S upon which it rests. The knife also includes a support member 80, which is likewise configured to be received in the holder 40 of the plate 10. The support member 80 also serves to elevate the cutting end 101 by a height h above a surface S when the knife 100 is set down, thereby preventing the knife cutting end 101 from becoming contaminated and conversely preventing the surface S from becoming soiled by contact with the used knife cutting end 101.

A spoon 110 is depicted in FIGS. 6 and 7 and includes a bowl 111 and a handle 112. The handle includes an end portion 113 that, like the fork 70 and knife 100 discussed above, is flat and generally parallel to a surface S upon which it rests. The spoon 110 also includes a support member 80, which is likewise configured to be received in the holder 40 of the plate 10. As in the fork 70 and knife 100 discussed above, the support member 80 also serves to elevate the bowl 111 by a height h above a surface S when the spoon 110 is set down, thereby preventing the bowl 111 from becoming contaminated and conversely preventing the surface S from becoming soiled by contact with the used bowl 111.

By virtue of the flat end portions 73, 103, 113 of the handles 72, 102, 112, the height of the support member 80 can be reduced and the stability of the utensils 70, 100, 110 when resting on a surface S is greatly improved.

The handles 72, 102, 112 can include a hollow portion, which is open to the top part of the handle and which generally corresponds to the shape of the support member 80. As a result, the support member 80 can be received in the hollow handle portion and the utensils can thereby be stacked or nested for storage. Moreover, the support member 80 depicted in FIGS. 2, 4 and 6 is shown here as having a frustoconical shape, however it should be understood that the support member 80 may have other shapes that include but are not limited to, e.g. cylindrical, cubic, rectangular, spherical, triangular, etc. Further, the support member 80 can be formed in the shape of a logo, number or letter to personalize the cutlery for special events.

FIGS. 8 and 9 depict a cup 120 having an upper lip 130. A top side of the plate 10 is shown in FIG. 10 with the bottom side depicted in FIG. 11. The top side of the plate 10 includes a perimeter ledge 20, which includes handle receiving portions 30. The handle receiving portions 30 receive the flat end portions 73, 103, 113 of the utensils 70, 100, 110. The handle receiving portion 30 has a forward inclined portion and a flat portion corresponding to the inclined and flat end portion 73, 103, 113 of the handle 72, 102, 112. The channels are configured such that once the handle portion is received in the channel, the utensil is secured to the plate and any lateral movement of the utensils is essentially eliminated. This can be achieved via a snap-fit or a tab and slot-type arrangement. The handle receiving portions 30 can be configured as indentations or channels molded within or cut from the perimeter ledge 20 material. The handle receiving portions can also include an L-shaped cross section defining a slot, providing additional retention of the handle end 73, 103, 113.

In the embodiments shown in the figures, the support member 80 extends downwardly from the bottom of the neck region of the utensil. The handle has an inclined portion, which extends between the neck and the handle flat end portion 103 and which is inclined relative to the flat end portion 103. By providing the plate with the handle receiving portions 30 and the utensil with the inclined handle with a flat end portion which is receivable in the handle receiving portions 30, a self aligning system which self aligns the handle to the plate and prevents any lateral or rotational movement of the utensil about the support member 80 vertical axis which may otherwise occur as a result of the utensil support member 80 sitting in holder 40.

Further, the plate 10 includes holders 40, which are shaped to receive the support members 80 of the utensils 70, 100, 110, thereby associating the utensil with the plate. While the holders 40 are shown as conforming to the shape of the support members 80, the holders 40 can be configured as slots, clips or other suitable retention member.

It should be noted that the support members 80 and the holders 40 can be shaped to ensure that rotation of the utensil 70, 100, 110 is prevented. For example the support member 80 and holder can have complementary square, octagonal, rectangular, etc. shapes thereby ensuring that rotation of the utensil 70, 100, 110 is prevented. If such a shape is selected, the channel 30 could be omitted (see FIG. 14), since lateral movement would be already prevented. Alternatively, the holders 40 can be omitted if the tolerances between the handle ends 73, 103, 113 and the channel 30 are close enough to provide a fixing of the utensil 70, 100, 110 to the plate 10, e.g. via a friction fit. However, use of the channel 30 in addition to the support member 80/holder 40 arrangement provides a greater securing of the utensil 70, 100, 110 to the plate 10. While the plate 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 10 depicts holders and channels for only two utensils, it is noted that the perimeter ledge 20 can be configured to accommodate fewer or more utensils.

FIGS. 11 and 12 show the bottom side of the plate 10. In the center of the plate there is a cup-securing member 50 having guide rails 51, which extend from a bottom perimeter base 15 of the plate. The guide rails 51 act as a guide for a user to easily align the upper lip 130 of the cup 120 into the cup-securing member 50 without needing to look underneath the plate. As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the cup-securing member 50, is depicted as a generally U-shaped rail. To release the cup 120 one would just push up slightly on the plate 10 or slightly pull down the cup 120 to release the cup 120 and slide it out from the U-shaped rail 50.

It should be noted that the cup-securing member 50 is arranged such that it does not extend beyond the base 15 of the plate 10. The base 15 is configured so that the plate can be set down flush on a surface so that it does not rock back and forth or is uneven in any way due to the guide rails 55 underneath or the U-shaped cup securing member 50.

The cup-securing member 50 includes a slot 55, having an L-shaped cross section, which is configured to receive the lip 130, by way of a sliding slot and tab type engagement, thereby securing the cup 120 to the plate 10.

As a result of being secured to the bottom of the plate 10, spills of the beverage contained in the cup 120 are greatly reduced.

Instead of having a U-shaped configuration, the cup-securing member 50 can have two parallel tracks with a L-shaped slots configured to receive the lip 130 of the cup 120. Further, the cup lip 130 and cup-securing member 50 can alternatively be arranged as a bayonet, threaded or snap-fit connection.

The slot or tracks 50 can be mounted on the bottom surface of the plate 10 or integrated into the mass of the plate 10. In the embodiments shown in the figures, the slot or tracks 50 are arranged to extend in the same horizontal plane as the plate. In one embodiment, the mouth of the slot or tracks is arranged to diverge outwardly away from the main slot or track section so to form a funnel like guideway which causes the cup lip 130 to self-align with the groove 55 of the cup securing member 50 when the cup lip is initially slidably received in the mouth of the slot or tracks 50, delimited by guide rails 51. In this manner, the cup lip 130 can be easily engaged in the groove 55 and the cup slid to the secure retaining position in the groove without the user in initally having to turn the plate upside down to visually guide the cup into the groove. In some embodiments, the profile of the cup rim is hexagnonal, octagonal etc. and the groove 55 has the same corresponding profile of the groove.

As shown in FIG. 13, the plate 10 is balanced on the cup 120, being securely attached thereto. Knife 100 is likewise secured to the plate 10 by way of holding element 40. As a result, the cup 120 acts as a handle for the entire assembly, freeing up the user's other hand for eating.

While the arrangement shown is directed to a cup or glass 120, it is noted that the cup-securing member 50 can be modified to accommodate cans and bottles. Further, while FIG. 11 shows a single cup-securing member 50, it is noted that the plate 10 can be configured to accommodate a plurality of cup-securing members 50.

The dish 10, cup 120 and utensils 70, 100, 110 taught herein can be either configured for single or multiple uses and can be made of any suitable food-grade material.

It is understood, therefore, that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but is intended to cover all modifications which are within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims; the above description; and/or shown in the attached drawings. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A plate having top and bottom sides, the top side comprising a perimeter ledge comprising a section configured to receive a portion of an eating utensil disposed thereupon, thereby securing the eating utensil to the plate.
 2. The plate of claim 1, wherein the section configured to receive a portion of the eating utensil is a channel in the perimeter ledge.
 3. The plate of claim 2, wherein the channel receives a flat handle end portion of the eating utensil in a sliding arrangement.
 4. The plate of claim 1, wherein the section configured to receive a portion of an eating utensil is a holder configured to receive a support member disposed on an underside of the eating utensil.
 5. The plate of claim 4, wherein the holder has a shape that is generally complementary to a shape of the support member.
 6. The plate of claim 4, wherein the holder is a clip or a slot.
 7. The plate of claim 4, wherein the support member is shaped such that once received by the member, rotation of the utensil is prevented.
 8. The plate of claim 4, wherein the support member is shaped as a: cylinder, frustum, triangle, pyramid, square, cube, circle, sphere, oval, ellipse, letter of the alphabet, number, or logo.
 9. The plate of claim 4, wherein the support member is configured to elevate a food-contacting portion of the utensil when the utensil is set on a surface, thereby preventing the food-contacting portion of the utensil from contacting the surface.
 10. The plate of claim 3, further comprising a holder configured to receive a support member disposed on an underside of the eating utensil.
 11. A plate having top and bottom sides, the bottom side comprising a securing member thereupon configured to receive a portion of a beverage container thereby securing the beverage container to the plate.
 12. The plate of claim 11, wherein the securing member comprises a slot having an L-shaped cross section, which is dimensioned to slidingly receive a lip of the beverage container.
 13. The plate of claim 12, wherein the securing member has a generally U-shaped configuration and the plate further comprises a resilient tab to prevent the beverage container from being slid out of the securing member.
 14. The plate of claim 12, wherein the securing member comprises two parallel tracks dimensioned to receive the lip of the beverage container therebetween.
 15. The plate of claim 11, wherein the top side comprises a perimeter ledge comprising a section configured to receive a portion of an eating utensil disposed thereupon, thereby securing the eating utensil to the plate.
 16. The plate of claim 15, wherein the section configured to receive a portion of an eating utensil is a holder configured to receive a support member disposed on an underside of the eating utensil.
 17. An eating utensil comprising a handle and a food-contacting portion attached thereto, the handle having a flat end portion opposite the food-contacting portion, and a support member disposed on an underside of the handle.
 18. The utensil of claim 17, wherein the support member is shaped as a: cylinder, frustum, triangle, pyramid, square, cube, circle, sphere, oval, ellipse, letter of the alphabet, number, or logo.
 19. The utensil of claim 17, wherein the support member is configured to elevate a food-contacting portion of the utensil when the utensil is set on a surface, thereby preventing the food-contacting portion of the utensil from contacting the surface.
 20. The utensil of claim 17, wherein the utensil is: a knife; a fork; a spoon; a spork; a spife; a knork; or a sporf. 